Kelly’s Unnecessary Blog

We now interrupt our regularly scheduled blog entry so that we may brag about having made art this evening. That’s hand-done art, people. I made a woodcut! Usually I only do this in the summer at Chris Gargan’s Paint ‘n’ Party, but I haven’t had that opportunity for two and a half years.

(In case you’re interested, the topic was supposed to be about sounds that drive you bonkers, and mine is listening to other people cut their fingernails. I would rather listen to 100 people dragging their nails down a chalkboard than hear the snap snap snap of one person with nailclippers.)

I decided to get motivated to do a woodcut today, after having cooked a lot, shoveled a lot, and cleaned a lot. A little me time. Fortunately, my parents, and my mom in particular, found it fascinating to observe the process. So did Robbin Rabbit.

I’ve never been good at deftly sharpening my tools, but it went well enough. Until it was time to get out the ink, that is. Turns out that when you don’t open the tube for years at a time, its artery hardens and must be dug out with a nut pick. Then it also happens that the ink becomes thick and goopy and is just barely usuable.

But it was usable and I got through the printing. When I’m at the Paint ‘n’ Party, the hood of my car is my mobile printing press. Tonight, it was my counter and stove. Instead of hanging the prints to dry on the side of my car, my microwave and pantry cupboard served the purpose.

Tomorrow when the light is better, I will select the best one. I would like to show you, but then I’d have to kill you.